What the Heart Wants
by AniPendragon
Summary: On a lonely night, Flora finds Riven at the Fruitti Music Bar. They talk about love, about life, and about how people perceive them. Flora & Riven friendship. Some Flora/Helia and Flora/Roxy.
**Author's Note:** Just something I've thought about a lot, since season four. Also I've noticed my writing style is very different in my Winx Club fics. Weird. Wrote this back in January, but I'm still pretty happy with it.

Leave a review if you liked it!

 **What the Heart Wants**

Flora let her fingers trail along the fence as she walked across the beach. Thin, spindly vines chased after her, wrapping themselves around the fence and vying for her attention. She smiled, but it was a distant thing that didn't quite reach her eyes. Not even her magic, capable of bringing life, could shake the cloud of sadness and frustration that had swept over her in the last few days.

With a sigh, Flora hugged herself, and climbed the wooden steps that connected the Fruitti Music Bar and the beach.

She hadn't expected to find anyone else at the music bar, but, sitting alone at the bar and squinting at a book, was Riven. It was almost dawn and the palest slivers of light had already touched the horizon and spread like lightning across the water and the sky. And he had a candle lit next to him for light. There were three – no, four – empty glasses surrounding him.

"Hello," said Flora, her voice just barely above a whisper. Riven's head came up, he blinked at her a few times.

"Oh, hey Flora," he said. He gestured for her to sit down on a stool next to him. On soft feet, she crossed the bar until she stood next to Riven. She took the offered seat with some hesitation. She'd come here to be alone, after all, and sitting next to Riven was a bit contradictory to her purpose.

"You're up early," said Flora, more to fill the silence than anything else. She tilted her head slightly to look over at the book Riven was reading. She caught a few lines about engines and socket wrenches. Earth book then, and not something she understood.

"Could say the same to you," said Riven, without looking up. Then, he shut the book and shoved it away from the two of them. Turned and faced Flora more completely.

"Oh," said Flora. She thought about how to explain her early rising, how to talk around her tumbling thoughts and anxiety fueled nightmares.

"I haven't slept yet," said Riven, and it came out as more of a confession than anything else. Soft and frustrated, with his eyes not quite meeting Flora's.

"I've been awake for almost two hours," said Flora in return. "I was tired of trying to be quiet, so I went out for a walk." She fiddled with her hands in her lap. She turned on the stool to face Riven more completely.

Looking at him, it became obvious he hadn't been sleeping properly – if at all. There were bags under his eyes, his hair was limp and hanging in his face, and there was a skittishness in his appearance. A nervous energy that he didn't seem able to shake.

"What's eating you?" asked Riven, some of his familiar sharpness returning to his tone. But there was genuine concern behind those sharp words as well, Flora knew. She could see it in his eyes.

"It's not important," said Flora. She traced the patterns in the worn wooden counter absently, refusing to meet Riven's gaze. Even exhausted, Riven's gaze held an intensity that Flora struggled beneath. It was impossible to hide things from that gaze. She didn't know how Musa could stand it.

"Besides," said Flora. She chanced at glance at Riven, not quite meeting his eyes. "I'm more curious about why you haven't slept."

Riven grinned. "Is that so?" Both his grin and his voice were tired. But, when he propped his elbows up on the counter to lean closer to Flora, he seemed more awake than he had a few minutes ago. "And what if I don't want to talk about it?"

"What if I don't either?" said Flora, more sharply than she meant to. Riven's eyes went wide in the same instant Flora realized what she'd said. "I'm so sorry," she started. "I didn't…"

"No, no," said Riven, chuckling. "I deserved that." Another laugh. "Damn, you're _blunt_ when you're tired, you know that?" He shook his head. Flora bit her lip, worrying it until she was worried it would bleed. But Riven didn't seem upset, and that was just plain confusing. Did he _like_ bluntness?

"I'm sorry?" tried Flora, grimacing.

"Nah," said Riven, waving her off. He was silent for a moment, then, "It's Musa." It took Flora a few seconds to realize he was talking about what was bothering him.

"Oh?" said Flora, keeping her voice polite. She'd heard Musa's side of this a dozen times – maybe more, but Flora had starting tuning out after the first eight, if she was honest. Perhaps Riven's side told something other than that of a 'selfish pig who understands _nothing_ about music'.

"I'm going to break up with her for good, this time," he said, scrubbing a hand over his face. "Shit, I just." He sighed. "She likes Jason. She's been running off with him without me. No, I don't like it, but she flirts with him _all the time_. I'm not imagining that, am I?" He turned to her for an answer.

Flora knew she should side with Musa. Flora knew she shouldn't say anything incriminating. But…

"She adores him," said Flora. "Has wanted to ask him out a dozen times."

"Dating me is stopping her?" asked Riven.

And, what the heck, she had already told him this much. "No. More than she keeps getting interrupted," said Flora.

Riven blinked hard a few times, then shook his head and leaned harder against the counter. "Shit, eh?" He sighed. "Obviously, she's over me, and I'm sick of doing the jealousy dance. She wants to date another guy, fine, whatever." He waved a hand. "I don't even care enough to fight anymore."

Then, to Flora, he asked, "Why tell me this though? Why not lie?"

"I'm tired," said Flora, the frustration in her voice evident. "I'm tired of not being able to sleep. Of being haunted by secrets I don't want to keep. Of watching relationships fall apart when _talking_ and honesty would solve everything." She leaned against the counter, her chin propped up in her hand.

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience," said Riven. There was something in his voice that Flora couldn't quite place. Curiosity or sympathy, maybe.

And this was it, wasn't it? This was when she decided if she wanted to tell Riven why she was awake, after he'd done the same. She didn't usually talk to Riven, but here, in this music bar, with the sun only just brushing the ocean behind them, it seemed right. She could honestly say she would call him a friend after this, and not just an acquaintance.

"I want to break up with Helia," said Flora.

Riven's eyebrows shot up. "Okay," he said. There was no judgement in his voice. No question. No anger. Just, acceptance. And that was a novelty. Flora had hinted to the girls, once, what she was thinking, and they'd all panicked and told her what a cute/amazing/perfect couple they were.

They'd assumed Flora was insecure about her relationship. She wasn't. She loved Helia, just not in the way she – and everyone else – had thought she did.

Bloom and Stella had even pointed out that Flora had much fewer relationship problems than they had with their respective boyfriends. Secretly, Flora knew exactly why that was, but she would never admit it out loud. It would be rude.

"You don't want to know why?" asked Flora.

"Of course I do, Helia's my best friend," said Riven, shrugging. "But it's up to you. And obviously I'm not going to _tell_ him." That last part seemed to be for her benefit, which Flora was grateful for. She hadn't realized how close the two were.

Flora bit her lip, debating.

"You don't have to tell me," said Riven. But he wanted to know. And spirits, Flora wanted to tell _someone_. Maybe Riven was that someone. It wasn't like he couldn't keep a secret, from what Helia had told her.

"There's someone else," Flora said, the words coming out soft and rushed.

"Oh," said Riven. "…Can I ask…?"

Flora bit her lip. She _wanted_ to. But…

"Roxy," she said, biting back her own fears.

Riven blinked. That was his only outward reaction, a singular blink. "Oh," he said. Then, nodding slowly, "Yeah, yeah I can see that." The slow, dawning realization was evident in his tone. He nodded again, a smile spreading across his face. "You'd be cute together."

Flora blushed. "It's not a possibility," she mumbled, staring at her hands.

"Why not?" asked Riven. "Stranger things and all that, right?" He shrugged. "You could totally ask her out."

"The girls would kill me if I broke up with Helia," said Flora. "They're convinced we're _perfect_ for each other."

Riven snorted. "That's because you're the exact same person, sweetheart," he said, his voice two parts amused and one part sharp. "I mean, why do you think I like you so much?"

Flora couldn't help the small, momentary smile that spread across her face. "Are you saying that like people get along well?" she asked.

" _Fuck_ no," said Riven, laughing. "Have you _seen_ me and Musa?" He caught himself and brought his voice back down to the soft tones they'd been speaking in earlier. "Look, if this is what you want, then go for it."

"But…"

"Hey," Riven reached out and laid his hand over one of hers, "we came to Earth to give it a new beginning – to bring back the magic. Don't you deserve to bring the magic back into your love life?" He smiled at her, a soft, concerned thing that made Flora realize she knew very little about this man sitting across her from. "The girls will live. So will Helia. They'll all realize, sooner or later, that your happiness means more than some warped perception of perfection."

Flora couldn't help her next words. "That was surprisingly deep and complex."

Riven grinned. "I ever tell you I was second in my literacy class? Helia was first, of course."

"Of course," said Flora, mimicking Riven's tone. The two both laughed, heads bent close.

After a while, Flora said, "Thank you."

"You going to do it?" asked Riven, immediately after.

Flora frowned. "I don't know. But you've given me a lot to think about."

"Hey," said Riven. He reached up and put a hand on her cheek, thumbing away tears Flora hadn't noticed falling. "The heart wants what it wants, Flo'. You do what makes you happy. If anyone gives you shit, _I'll_ handle it, all right?"

Flora smiled. "You'd do that for me?" she asked.

"'Course," said Riven. "Anything." And it was the naked honesty in his voice that made Flora blush.

"I didn't realize you were so fond of me," said Flora, quietly.

Riven chuckled, softly. "It started about when you started dating Helia," he said. "That's when I realized you were pretty incredible. But…" He shrugged. "You know how these things go with me, especially when everyone's convinced if I so much as _look_ at someone I'm a cheat."

Flora grimaced. "That must get old."

"Oh, it does," said Riven. "But I do the same thing to Musa, so I can't really blame her." He sighed. "Reason number four why we're breaking up…" Then, "Listen, I'm serious, I think you should do this. And if you ever need anyone to talk to…"

Flora hugged him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Thank you," she breathed into his ear. Riven wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her just as tightly.

"You gotta take care of yourself, Flo'," he said.

"I will," said Flora, a little choked up. The two pulled back and smiled at each other. Then, Riven hopped up and swung himself over the counter into the area with all the drinks.

"So," he said. "How 'bout I mix us up some breakfast?"

Flora propped her elbows on the counter and smiled. "Sounds great."


End file.
